The Fusei Paupu
by Chakenmo
Summary: Tidus wants to confess his feelings to Sora, but he's already been taken by Riku. Tidus and Riku both set out on quests and a new enemy is revealed. Who is this enemy, what will our heroes do about it, and most importantly: who will win Sora?
1. The Perfect Day

_**This story is about Tidus and Riku both being in love with Sora.**_

_**I don't own anything, but you know that.**_

_**Enjoy and Review!**_

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It had taken him several days to work up the courage to do it, but today was the day. Today, he would put everything on the line and fear nothing. Today could not be ruined by anything, no matter what was thrown at him… or so Tidus thought.

It was a simple plan:

Tidus would confess his true feelings to Sora, who had become his best friend over the past few years. He was going to meet Sora up by the bent Paupu Tree around sunset. As the sun went down, the two boys talking casually and curling against the tree's supportive branches, Tidus would ask if Sora would share the fruit of love, accept and return his feelings and they'd live happily ever after.

This was not the case however. As Tidus came up on the Paupu Tree, he noticed the object of his affection sitting with… ANOTHER MAN? Tidus simply stopped in his tracks. He finally decided that he must know who was talking to his Sora and what the hell was going on, but as he drew closer, he became more and more heartbroken.

Tidus noticed that there was a certain half-eaten fruit in Sora's hands, and he could only guess where the other half was… Again, Tidus simply stopped moving, but this time fell to his knees as Sora and the other man drew closer, their faces only inches apart before….

Tidus really didn't need to look at the other man's face to know who it was… Riku. Finally, when he could take no more of the heartbreak, Tidus ran home. Tears were already gushing down his face, though he tried to fight them.

Meanwhile….

"Sora, did you hear something?" As the two young men glanced around, they could see nothing in the immediate area. Riku however noticed a speck vanishing into the ever-darkening night. A speck called Tidus. Riku would have to deal with him later, but for now, Sora was all his and need not be bothered with the thought of that wannabe warrior. They no longer had any business together.

Sora was better in every way, and he was all Riku's now and forever. It was the perfect day after all.

_To be continued…_

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_**Well... I hope you like the introduction. Stick around for the following chapters and please feel free to leave reviews… I really appreciate them.**_

_**Next chapter: Desperation**_


	2. Desperation

_**I appreciate any feedback and comments… meanwhile, enjoy Tidus' sorrow and desperation! I'm terrible for putting an exclamation point there, I love Tidus.**_

_**I appreciate feedback and Reviews!**_

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Tidus ran to his secret cave that not even Sora knew about. It was his complete and total sanctuary away from the islanders and all their problems. He had been planning to bring Sora here after eating the paupu, but that was impossible now thanks to that…

Riku…

Memories were flooding into his mind now, each fighting for the boy's attention. They wanted to surface, to be remembered, to be experienced. The images and sounds were clashing with one another so violently that Tidus thought his head would explode.

After a while, they were silenced by a certain realization… one other person did know of this cave. It was someone that Tidus had spent ample time with while Sora was off on his latest adventure. It was then that he realized what Riku would do once he was done at the tree… he would be bringing Sora to this very cave.

Panicking, Tidus scrambled to his feet in a desperate attempt to escape before they got here. The boy was absolutely miserable, he had lost his friendships because of Riku, then he had lost Sora to Riku, and he was about to lose his private hideaway to him as well. What more could he take?

Just then, Tidus bumped into something tall and dark. No… there was movement from the figure… it was definitely a person. 'Isn't it a bit early for Riku to be here?? And where's Sora? I shoulda moved quicker instead of sitting on the floor crying. Dammit. What am I going to…'

"Are you quite finished sniveling like a child?"

Tidus, who had been deep in thought snapped to attention as he realized the figure was not Riku, in fact, it wasn't even a man.

"It's none of your business. Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Pointless questions from a boy whose life has also become pointless. That is where I come into play, Tidus."

"How do you know…"

"Silence. I will hear no more of your dribble. Shut your mouth and open those quirky little ears of yours. I am a sorceress with the power to help you in this plight. Oh yes, I know of your past, present, and I can most certainly guarantee your future… for a price."

Tidus was a wreck. Who was this stranger to think she knew anything about him and how did she think she could help. The paupu is an eternal contract and cannot be broken under any circumstances… that is the way of the fruit. If it could be undone, then it would have no more meaning than a marriage, which can easily be disposed of through divorce. Aside from that, how could she possibly help his current situation? And what was this price she wanted in return?

"No questions to ask of me? Or are you afraid to be shot down again by my insults and commands. Such a pitiful boy; no wonder he chose Riku over you."

The boy was indeed done being silent. He didn't need that kind of treatment in addition to his everyday abuses and this current early-life crisis.

"I'll do it. Anything. I don't care what it takes, as long as I can be with Sora." In a much lower voice, almost speaking to himself, "That's all I've ever really wanted to begin with…"

"Oh ho I see, so there is some ambition in you after all. Good, because you will need it for the tasks ahead of you. I have only two conditions to this deal: the first, is you will obtain the means to rectify this situation with only my guidance. In other words, you're on your own. Secondly, my price is non-negotiable and will be discussed at a later date of my choosing. In effect, you are giving me the blank check that is your life."

It was only then that Tidus realized the magnitude of this meeting and what would be required to accomplish his dreams. He still couldn't see the witch as she was covered in shadow, but his impression of her was not positive in the least. Still, there was certainly no other way and he must act now or risk heartache for the rest of his life. This island is far too small to not run into Sora and Riku every single day of that time span.

"Just one question if you please: What is your name?"

"Why dear boy, I thought you would be asking something far more difficult than that. The name is Maleficent of course. A pleasure to be working with you."

As the two shook hands, Tidus couldn't help but feel that he was in for a lot more than he'd bargained for. He'd never heard that name before, but the witch seemed to reek of evil and ill intentions.

"There's no turning back now. Shall we begin?"

As Maleficent opened a gateway to elsewhere, two figures were striding up the pathway to their current location. The boy dove through quickly so they wouldn't see him, with the sorceress close behind. As it closed, there was a clinking as Tidus' favorite keychain was left behind… the one Sora had made for him just a few months earlier.

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_**Well? That meddling witch should be no surprise, she's always up to something. Stay tuned for further developments and feel free to give feedback on where you'd like to see things go or what you're expecting.**_


	3. Curiosity

_**This chapter is written from Sora's POV.**_

_**Enjoy! We'll find out more about Tidus in the next chapter.**_

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Sora awoke to find himself on the hard ground of Riku's cave, in said lover's arms, with an annoying amount of light and chirping.

"Stupid birds, it's too early to be making noise."

The boy was quite content in Riku's arms to just lay there, nice and warm. He had no particular interest in leaving this spot… ever. Riku was still out cold and didn't respond to any nudging from the boy. Sora decided to wash up in the pond he'd noticed on the way up the hill before his lover woke. In case he took too long, Sora pulled a piece of chalk from his discarded pants and wrote a message on the ground.

_Riku,_

_I smell. BRB. Love Sora._

He wasn't much of a romantic, but that was good enough for Riku (who would have used far more… eloquent language). Knowing that it was still possible, however unlikely to run into some villagers, Sora wore his clothes down to the little pool as a precaution. He washed his hair first, rinsing out pebbles and dirt that had gotten trapped in there. Sleeping in a romantic, secluded cave was great, but one blanket underneath and one above was not exactly comfortable. Next time, there would be a bed or else…

He was so distracted by his own filth and grime, that he didn't notice as Riku snuck in behind him until his arms were around the boy's waist, their bodies pressed close together.

"That wasn't very nice now Sora. Nobody should ever have to wake up alone the night after their honeymoon (for lack of a better term)." He trailed kisses down Sora's neck as the two melted together. Riku was obviously still in a frisky mood, but his lover was quite sore from the previous night's activities… and that hard ass floor.

Sora stopped him with a simple peck on the lips. They stared into each other's eyes and Sora's flashed a twinge of pain. He didn't want to stop, he wanted Riku forever, but his body was screaming not to continue this any further.

"Damn it Sora I told you to tell me if I was too rough! You're too nice for your own good."

"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle…"

"It's not about whether you can take it or not Sora. You shouldn't ever have to feel any pain… that's why it's _pleasurable_… because it isn't painful."

Sora had no words, so he just hugged close to Riku and the two proceeded to get cleaned up. Sora had wanted Riku to have the honeymoon of his life because the older boy would be heading out to several other worlds on business for the next week or so. The separation was likely to kill them both, but Sora didn't want his lover to regret anything from that one night at least.

"It's time for me to be heading off." Now fully dressed, the two embraced once again with a searing kiss as tears ran down Riku's normally rigid face. He had expected the Paupu to force Sora to match his love for the younger boy, but he hadn't expected it to amplify his own emotions as well. The young couple stood on top of the cliff overlooking the sea for several minutes, neither letting go of the other. It was Sora that pulled away first.

"I guess you'd better get going then. I love you Riku, have a safe trip."

"I'll be back for you Sora. Everytime. I love you too."

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Sora woke from a long nap a few hours later with tears still fresh in his eyes. This was worse than any pain he had ever imagined or experienced in all of his adventures. He didn't leave his room the rest of the day.

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He woke the next morning still feeling the absence of Riku's departure and wishing even more that he hadn't decided to take that stupid mission for the King. He could at least have postponed it as a gift to the couple, but I guess evil doesn't wait for this type of thing.

After several hours of tossing, Sora gave up going back to sleep and started thinking of nothing but Riku. Somewhere in the process, Tidus' name slipped itself in. They were supposed to meet up a few days prior, but he hadn't shown. He started to think about the events of the previous week with nothing better to occupy his time.

_Riku had been gone for almost a year now, in which time, Sora and Tidus had become incredibly close friends. They had sleepovers and watched movies, made fun of Selphie from time-to-time, and enjoyed Sora's mom's five star cooking. She approved of a friend like Tidus over that selfish, over-confident Riku that had haunted her household since early childhood. It was her opinion that he was a bad influence and had never really done anything for Sora's self-esteem issues. Quite frankly, he had never been able to beat Riku in… well, anything and that led to a bit of an inferiority complex for some years._

_They never spent time at Tidus' house, saying that he was having issues with his dad, known across the island for being a drunkard. Some days, Sora would find Tidus crying under a palm tree with a fresh bruise on his face or wrist. It was then his job to cheer the crying youth up with an incredibly lame joke, face, or whatever else it took to pull him out of his funk. _

_The week before, Tidus had told Sora to meet him at their usual spot by the Paupu Tree for an important meeting. He had said that it was more important than life-or-death and he'd punish Sora if he didn't show. The boy spent the rest of his week wondering what it could possibly be about and would only get tickled or picked on if he asked for hints. Sora had been early to the meeting spot so he could set up a trap to pay Tidus back for his shadiness, but someone was even earlier that day. _

"_Ri… ku…. RIKU!!"_

_Sora jumped into his arms, giving him the biggest hug of either of their lives. They had always been close that way, but Sora hadn't read any deeper into the situation. _

"_Sora, I missed you so much. I thought of you almost every day and made it my goal to come back to this island. Back to you."_

"_Riku… welcome home, I missed you too."_

"_There was a time where… where… I almost didn't make it. I didn't want to vanish with regrets about my life and what-ifs. The thought of you helped me survive and completing one last dream of mine. Sora, will you share the Paupu with me?"_

"_Th-The Paupu?! Riku that's for people in love. You aren't… ummm… in love with me… are you?"_

"_Sora, it binds two people together for all of eternity. The fruit is a way for me to always come back to you no matter what. If you love me, then I will love you in return. If you think of me only as a friend, then we'll be the best friends."_

"_I… need some time Riku. I'm not ready for all of that."_

_The boy sat down and stared out across the ocean. Riku was his best friend and he wanted to make him happy right? He wanted Riku to keep coming back right? So this should be a no-brainer, right?_

_There was several minutes of silence while Sora tried to come up with a way to stall his friend for more time when Riku spoke up again._

"_Sora, I'm leaving tomorrow for a little while, I won't know for how long. Please Sora I'm begging you. I promise that I'll never ask you for anything ever again."_

"_Okay Riku. I'll share it with you."_

The rest as they say is history. One bite of the sacred fruit and Sora had eyes only for Riku. He had forgotten that his best friend wasn't always at the center of his every thought. It seemed strange now that he had ever felt differently than he did at this exact moment.

Even stranger, he had completely forgotten about his new best friend Tidus in the process for several days! Why hadn't he come that day? Where was he now? It was very unlike Tidus to be mysteriously absent from his life for this long.

Giving into his curiosity, Sora finally got the energy to get out of bed and actually do something. He would begin the search for Tidus and he wouldn't give up until he found him. Or until Riku came home. Whichever came first.

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_**XD**_

_**Please Review… to be continued!**_


	4. Mission Start

_**Chapter 4 of The Fusei Paupu**_

_**Yayness! More new characters, a glimmer of the real plot, and our introduction to the bad guys D**_

_**Please enjoy and as always, keep them reviews coming!**_

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_Ragged Breathing_

Riku had been navigating the sewers below Hallow Bastion for nearly 2 hours. All the while fighting a new enemy and trying to reach the center of his underground maze. King Mickey had told him to capture whatever object the creatures were protecting at all costs.

This sewer system was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. According to the device in his pocket, the walls and channels were constantly changing and would occasionally drop deeper into the ground, though you wouldn't notice without the delicate piece of technology.

As Riku looked at it again, he saw that he'd dropped another 200 feet below ground.

'When did that happen? I hate this place.' He was forced to ignore thoughts of how to escape.

"The mission comes first. And then I'll go home, back to him." He said aloud.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up suddenly and a whoosh of air swept by. Riku just managed to block the blow, dark keyblade in hand.

"You've gotten better, Riku." He recognized that voice, calm and collected.

"It's been a while, Cloud. What are you doing following me?"

"Following you? Please, get over yourself. I'd venture to say that my reasons are similar to yours. Maybe you could fill me in on that mission you were talking about?"

"That's not your business."

"Humor me."

"You should escape before you get yourself hurt… or worse."

"Is that a threat?"

"I can't say."

"I see. That's how it is huh? Well, how about we have some fun then?"

Cloud smirked as he leapt towards Riku, sword raised high. There was a clanging of metal as the two fought fiercely. They seemed equally matched in swordplay, but unfortunately for Riku, Cloud was more experienced.

With an upward thrust, he knocked the keyblade to the floor and punched Riku in the chest. The silver-haired boy slammed into the sewer wall hard. Before he could react, Cloud was in front of him. Another blow to the gut and Riku was down. He began to slump, but Cloud wasn't done having fun yet. He pinned Riku's well-toned arms above his head with one hand and removed the glove from his spare hand.

"You know, I would expect the King's right hand to be a bit stronger. What happened to all that frightening power you had before? Was it your embracing of the light or a loss of your internal fire that caused you to be so weak?"

Riku was now bleeding from several cuts and bruised and was barely able to focus his eyes let alone speak.

"Get… off me." He tried to struggle, but Cloud was normally stronger than him anyway.

Cloud liked it when they struggled.

He began to stroke Riku's face with his free hand, admiring the bone structure and pouty lips.

"You're actually kinda cute when I really look. Especially those lips… they're very touchable."

Riku was suddenly very aware of how close Cloud had gotten and tried to struggle even more.

"You can't stop me. I want your absolute surrender." The blonde-haired warrior leaned in closer, just inches away from Riku now.

"No… stop. They belong to him. You can't have me."

"And who is 'he' exactly?"

"That's… not… your business."

Cloud was done with his interrogation, it was time to start the real battle. Slamming his lips onto Riku's, he tried to force his enemy to yield. To surrender by opening his mouth, but Riku was still resisting even in this state. In a final act of desperation, Cloud cupped his lower region, as Riku gasped in surprise. He seized the opportunity and thrust his tongue inward, ready for the upcoming battle that he'd surely win.

"Cloud. What exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Shit."

Cloud jumped backwards, leaving Riku to slump to the floor. The voice down the corridor gradually became a shadowy figure and then stepped into the light.

Leon.

"I thought I told you not to get so far ahead?"

"You were too slow." Cloud replied.

"You have too much energy for your own good you know."

"Didn't you say that you liked my excess energy?"

"Not during the day. You'd better not complain that you're tired later tonight."

Cloud blushed as he went to rejoin Leon down the way. The brown-haired man didn't miss a beat as he pinned the other warrior to the wall in a very familiar position. He claimed Cloud's lips in a ferocious series of searing kisses accompanied by grunting and a clashing of tongues.

Leon was gradually winning the battle, but sealed it as he reached lower. Cloud gasped.

"Listen up. This belongs to me. Don't forget that again. That boy belongs to a very good friend of mine, and if you do anything to upset him… I'll punish you for real."

Obviously convinced of Leon's threat, Cloud sank to the ground as the brown-haired warrior strolled over to Riku. He lifted the boy to his feet and was supporting most of his weight when he passed out.

"Geez Cloud, did you have to be so rough with him?"

"It's more fun that way." He said with a smile.

With a sigh, Leon threw Riku over his shoulder as the three continued down the channel.

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Sora really was trying to look for Tidus. Honestly. The problem was that he kept getting distracted every time he walked into an area where there was a good memory with Riku. Which was basically, everywhere.

The two had been best friends for years and had explored virtually every party of the island. After a while, Sora was able to focus on his original mission once again. The next stop was Tidus' house, even if it meant a run-in with the boy's father, Jecht.

As Sora approached their home, he noticed several people crowded around the open front door. Sprinting to the front of the crowd, Sora noticed Jecht sprawled across a bottle-covered floor unconscious. A number of the villagers were trying to get the man up to see if he was alright, but he wasn't exactly light. As they dragged him outside, Sora swore that the man was speaking in his dreams.

"Tidus… m'boy…"

He rushed into the house as the villagers tried to get help for Jecht. Even though he'd only been here once before, Sora remembered the location of Tidus' room and ran towards it. It was empty… the only clean room in the house. It didn't seem as though anyone had been there in quite some time.

He emerged from the small house several minutes later, looking completely distraught and confused. He couldn't think of anywhere else that Tidus might be hiding. The boy didn't really have any other friends on the island thanks to something with Riku, though neither would elaborate on the situation. He didn't have any other family. Sora had already checked all the usual places, and even some strange non-possibilities just in case.

Meanwhile, he was constantly plagued by thoughts of Riku. Finally deciding that he'd done all he could for now, Sora trudged up the hill towards the secret cave where he and Riku had spent their "honeymoon." Maybe being in that place once again would help to soothe the effects of his new-found love and the sudden absence of the object of that affection.

After a few minutes of hiking, he reached the base of the cliff and passed by the pond he'd last bathed in. Sora began to blush at that last encounter and continued up to the cave. Finally reaching it, he realized how dark the place was even in the day.

"Funny, it seemed much brighter that night."

He walked a few dozen steps in when he heard the clang of something metallic. Looking down to see what he'd nearly tripped over, Sora picked up the keychain he'd made for Tidus back then. It was in the shape of a keyblade, custom designed by Sora to what he imagined was Tidus' style.

"Why… is this here?" As Sora debated on the answer to that question, a pair of red eyes faintly glowed from deeper within the cave.

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Riku woke with a bitch of a headache. He felt hungover. It was the worst physical pain he'd felt in quite some time, though he did have the short dream about a certain lover as a conciliation prize.

"Hmm... mighta been worth it."

"What'd you say?"

Riku hadn't realized that Cloud and Leon were there, intently focusing their eyes on him.

"Damn it Cloud, that hurt."

"Get stronger then. I didn't even have to try."

"Enough you two, let's get going. Can you walk Riku?"

"Yea I think so." The boy got to his feet to continue his mission. Apparently these two wouldn't settle for less than accompanying him. Then again, in his present state, he could probably use some bodyguards. Besides, Cloud owed him at least that much for the royal pounding he'd just received… idiot.

After several hours of heavy walking, Riku heard a terrible howling from up ahead. The party stopped in their tracks as several pairs of red eyes leapt from the shadows.

Riku was able to summon his keyblade in time to block a nasty slash from the shadowy claw.

"Are these heartless?? They look just like shadows." Riku called out to his comrades.

"No, they're different somehow. We haven't coined a name for them yet. Their eyes are red though instead of yellow… also, they seem to have more of a fighting spirit."

Of course, nobody wanted to mention the most obvious difference between the two enemies, and were hesitant to finish the creatures off. Eventually the trio were backed against a wall as the four enemies surrounded them.

"I guess we don't have a choice" Cloud said as he charged forth with his sword. The other two braced themselves for the imminent aftermath of the creatures' destruction.

As his sword cut through the shadowy flesh, the enemy shadow let out a fearsome, high-pitched scream and vanished into nothing. Immediately the other enemies became enraged as their eyes glowed deeper. Their attacks grew more vicious until the group had finally finished them off, Riku doing little but defending himself.

The party was drained significantly from the ecounter, so they stopped to take another break. They knew that the creatures were more like packs than the heartless or nobodies they'd previously fought. They were very protective of one another and seemed to get stronger with every scream while their adversaries were weakened. Something about that sound just sucked the energy right out of you.

"I'll take guard duty, you might not have realized it, but it's nighttime outside. Cloud, Riku, go to sleep. We'll continue when you wake up."

Neither objected and they slipped into the world of dreams. That night, Leon noticed a strange figure across the canal. It was a boy, and he was holding a dark-enshrouded weapon. He couldn't quite make the guy out, but he also couldn't afford to wake his team up after just a few hours. They needed their strength for the following day.

After about six hours, Riku woke to allow Leon some rest. Grateful for the boy's thoughtfulness, he snuggled up close to Cloud and took a nap. He needed his rest too after all.

Whispering in the blonde's ear, Leon passed out.

"I love you… idiot."

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**XD**

**I loves me some LeonxCloud yess I do! You know the drill people, keep reading, keep reviewing, I'm anxious to keep the story going. But I'm also obsessed with feedback and I'll punish you if the reviews are too low... o.O**

**Enjoy the next chapter!**


	5. Enemies Revealed!

**Well, it's the beginning of the colder seasons… so you know what that means right?? Right??**

**Yep, I'm sick. I've been bed-ridden the last WEEK! I'm finally back to school/work/writing so I'll do my best to catch-up. Remember to take your vitamins and drink lots of OJ!**

**Lots of plot revelation in this chapter. Enjoy and Review please!**

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Another pack of enemies destroyed; another ear-splitting scream; another breath-catching break.

Leon, Cloud and Riku continued on in this way for another 6 hours before they finally reached the room they'd been searching for.

"Alright, I think that's it." Riku was bracing himself against the wall as he checked the portable device in his pocket. It seemed to give the all-clear for them to proceed as he set it for data-retrieval.

As the group entered the underground cavern, they noticed the faintly glowing object at its center. It was hard to tell for sure in such darkness, but the room seemed as big as the Olympus Coliseum at first glance. They started across the room when suddenly, thousands of red eyes appeared and the darkness began to take shape.

Even knowing that they didn't stand much of a chance, they drew their weapons and charged towards the unknown object.

Riku's keyblade easily slashed through their shadowy flesh, but Cloud and Leon's attacks were considerably less effective. Against most of the enemies, their blades wouldn't even cut entirely through.

Then, the screams came, and the trio fell to their knees.

While blocking the incoming attacks, the party was also trying to cover their ears. Cloud's had already started to bleed from the numerous encounters they'd had that day.

"Riku, what is that thing and why are there so many here to protect it?" Leon was faring the best out of the three, but even he couldn't hide the pain completely.

"I don't know anything about it Leon, I just know that the King ordered me to get it at all costs."

"Well, we need to try something more effective then, let's make a break for it."

_**15 minutes later**_

The rush that Leon had intended only lasted about 20 feet when the shadows realized their plan and threw their full force into defense. They had managed to wear down the three warriors considerably and now had them completely surrounded.

"Leon, Riku, this is crazy. We can't fight an enemy that gets stronger and more intelligent with every death and wound while we get weaker and careless."

"You're right Cloud… is it that important Riku?"

"I believe so. You guys can leave if it's too much. This isn't your job. I'll keep fighting."

"Right. Then we won't be going anywhere, right Cloud?"

The blonde smirked.

"You boys better keep up then. Let's go!"

The trio began a vicious strike towards the center, making it about another 20 feet before a flash erupted from the opposite end of the room. It was accompanied by a lot of screams and then a few things became clear.

_**One**__: _There was an army of heartless assaulting the new creatures. So then, they weren't working together towards a common goal.

_**Two**__:_ The red-eyed shadows had obviously never encountered a heartless and weren't sure what to make of them.

_**Three**__:_ The lead figure was definitely not a heartless. He was human and looked to be roughly the same age as Riku. He was wielding two keyblades, the first radiated light as-if the Sun itself had been harnessed into a weapon. The second blade was of the darkest blackness. Even the brilliancy of the first keyblade seemed to warp around it, along with the surrounding darkness.

As the heartless launched their offensive against the enemy, the figure ripped through their lines towards the object. With two blades, he was making considerable progress in far less time than they had managed.

Realizing that the creatures were now uninterested in their presence, Leon and company made a break for the room's center. They weren't fast enough.

The boy reached it faster as he plucked the apple-shaped dark object out of the very air. It hadn't appeared to have been secured by anything, just floating in the center of nothingness.

As his own skin came into contact with it, the apple emitted a bright flash and the creatures disappeared with it. Riku recognized his face in that instant.

"Beat ya. Later. Heartless, finish these guys off!"

"Wait, one thing first." Riku seemed angry.

"What? You want this? It's mine sorry."

"Yea, I'll be taking that back in a minute. First, what are those creatures."

"Something so simple? I thought you were more intelligent than that Riku. If you haven't figured it out yourself though, they're called 'Heart-broken' and they feed off the energy of pain and despair."

"Thanks Tidus."

"Just because you know who I am doesn't mean you're gonna take this from me. Run while the Heartless regroup or they'll kill you. I can't say that I care to stop them either."

"All for Sora huh? You're so weak. I've beaten you every time at everything and this won't be any different."

"That's where you're wrong you arrogant prick. I will take Sora away from you. A fight between you and I right now would have no meaning. It would just cause him grief."

"I'm done listening to you."

Riku charged towards him, keyblade in hand. Suddenly, a green flame appeared between them and the attacker backed off. A dark figure stepped out of the flame and spoke.

"Tidus, I believe your mission is complete? Shall we leave this place?"

"Yes, I guess we should. Later Riku."

Before he could react, the two had vanished along with all the heartless. Strangely, the room didn't seem to be as dark as it had been before. What seemed like a second to Riku was actually several long minutes.

Leon pulled him into a rib-smashing hug. Riku hadn't realized that he'd zoned out for a while. The human contact had snapped him back to reality.

"Are you okay Riku?"

"Yeah, of course, why? And could you get off me?"

"I wouldn't have done it in the first place, Cloud's not happy about this."

"Yea Leon, he's fine now, you can take your hands off of him. Sheesh and you lectured me."

"That was different and you know it."

"Tch."

The swordsman backed away, leaving Riku to realize what had happened. His heart was pounding so hard that it hurt, he couldn't make his body stop shaking and he had completely drenched Leon's shirt in tears that were still flowing.

"Wha… what happened?"

Riku dropped to the ground as Cloud came to support him.

"So you're with Sora huh? Never woulda guessed it. You must really care about him. You freaked out when you thought about losing him. I think you might have blacked out for a bit there… you were getting pretty hysterical. Really, it was pitiful."

Riku shoved the blonde off and tried wiping his tears again. They still refused to stop flowing.

"You're not helping Cloud. Anyway, let's get out of here guys. I think Riku needs to report back to the King. We're along for the ride."

"Thanks Leon, for everything. I see why Sora likes you so much now."

They set out on the long journey to escape Hollow Bastion's underground maze… Cloud noticed that Leon was blushing over Riku's last comment.

"LEON YOU BIG CHEATER!! WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THINKING ABOUT SORA??"

Riku smirked.

"It doesn't really matter Cloud, don't make a fuss. Sora's all mine, forever."

* * *

**Next Chapter: Reawakened Master**

**Totally focused on Sora!**

**Please give me feedback!!**


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